Mr. Ned Shanaman
U. S. Navy
World War II (Pearl Harbor survivor)
First Class Machinist
Mr. Shanaman was officially assigned to the USS Medusa, a repair ship. The USSMedusa was stationed at Pearl Harbor. When he first got to Hawaii, it was like paradise. Three days after Thanksgiving though, the fleet was sent out on war maneuvers, and weren’t supposed to come back until a week before Christmas. The war maneuvers were called off early, and the USS Medusa had to go back to the port. It usually docked next to the USS Arizona, but they were called to fix the USS Enterprise, so they docked next to it instead. The USS Enterprise wasn’t there yet, so they had to wait. This turned out to be one of the luckiest things.
The alarm went off a third time, and was followed with a boom and the rocking of the ship. That got them going. Mr. Shanaman went to his battle station, which was on the boat deck aft. It was the top high part of the ship at the back. He ran there. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He saw so many planes and they were all flying real low. He could even see the Japanese smiling at him.
U. S. Navy
World War II (Pearl Harbor survivor)
First Class Machinist
Mr. Shanaman was officially assigned to the USS Medusa, a repair ship. The USS Medusa was stationed at Pearl Harbor. When he first got to Hawaii, it was like paradise. Three days after Thanksgiving though, the fleet was sent out on war maneuvers, and weren’t supposed to come back until a week before Christmas. The war maneuvers were called off early, and the USS Medusa had to go back to the port. It usually docked next to the USS Arizona, but they were called to fix the USS Enterprise, so they docked next to it instead. The USS Enterprise wasn’t there yet, so they had to wait. This turned out to be one of the luckiest things.
The alarm went off a third time, and was followed with a boom and the rocking of the ship. That got them going. Mr. Shanaman went to his battle station, which was on the boat deck aft. It was the top high part of the ship at the back. He ran there. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He saw so many planes and they were all flying real low. He could even see the Japanese smiling at him.